“Ahhh,” Adalyn leaned back in her chair. “That makes a lot of sense. Money, of course, at the root of it all.”
Giles’s face bore an expression of concern. “Lady Adalyn, the response to this lies with you. Would you surrender the land to spare Trick’s incarceration? He will be jailed for as much as a year, awaiting trial. And not in the Roundhouse, or even Little Maddington.. This would be in Deepmere.”
She winced. Deepmere was at least fifteen or more miles away from Wolfbridge. And a fully-fledged city, which probably meant a jail with cells and other unpleasant things she’d rather not think about.
Silence had fallen and she felt the men’s eyes resting on her. Her position as mistress of Wolfbridge weighed heavily on her at that moment, for she knew she had to make the best decision possible under the circumstances.
“May I have an hour or so to fully consider this, Giles? I need to think, and just now I seem to be possessed of a windstorm in my brain instead of coherent thoughts.”
“Of course,” he nodded.
“You’ll do the right thing, Adalyn.” Daniel pressed her shoulder.
“You are the Lady of Wolfbridge,” Jeremy also touched her. “We believe in you, Adalyn.”
“It’s difficult, to be in control of a manor such as this,” said Evan coming to her side. “But you are worthy of the title, Adalyn, and worthy of the position. Whatever you decide will be right…for you, for us and for Wolfbridge.” He took her hand, dropped a light kiss on it, and followed the others from the room, leaving her alone with Giles.
~~~~~
She stood and stretched, then walked to the window, amazed to find that nothing had changed outside. It was strange how things happened and one’s world shifted a little, while the rest of the world continued to turn.
“Giles,” she said quietly. “I would like to talk to you.”
“Of course, my Lady.” He walked to her side. “’Tis a difficult decision you face.”
“Indeed.” She nodded. “And this situation is not the only one.” She turned slightly toward him. “I need to speak with you about them.”
“Them?”
“Our men,” she replied.
“Very well…”
“I don’t quite know how to begin…” She hated the slight tremble in her voice, the hesitation to ask what she needed to know.
“May I guess that this is a somewhat delicate question?”
Another nod. “Very much so.”
“Then look out of the window, forget that I am here, and just talk…”
“Easier said than done,” she gave a slight chuckle. “But all right. Here goes. I am finding myself very much drawn to them. Relying on them for everything, which is probably normal for the mistress of any estate, but recently it has become more—personal. More—intimate.” She knew her cheeks were flushed; she could see the colour rising in her reflection.
“I see,” commented Giles. “And you question these feelings? These intimacies?”
“I don’t know how to feel, to be quite honest. No,” she stopped. “That’s not true. I do know how to feel. I feel cared for, I feel a warmth and depth of affection I have never experienced before. I have discovered needs and desires that surprise and shock me. I’m afraid of what I am becoming when I welcome such attentions eagerly. It all goes against what was dinned into my head as I grew up.”
“You are indeed conflicted, my dear,” responded Giles calmly. “If it is of any comfort, you are repeating what previous Ladies of Wolfbridge have said. And, in fact, you are actually fulfilling the purpose of this manor. The entire property and its legal status have been created to bring happiness to someone who needs it. Someone who will benefit from it and, with luck, go forward with a new philosophy.”
Adalyn frowned. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“There are too many closed minds in our world, Adalyn. There are also too few people helping those less fortunate. Wolfbridge is one small portion of England where good is venerated, kindness is encouraged, and love of others prized above all else. Our mistresses come from the opposite situation, and here they learn what true courage and genuine worthiness can be. They then move ahead with their lives, bringing those characteristics to whatever they do. And whoever they touch.”
“That is a laudable goal, Giles, but for just one person?”
He smiled then, his teeth gleaming in the glass window reflecting him as he stood slightly behind Adalyn.
“Oh no. Wolfbridge goes much further than that. Are you familiar with the name Lady Mary Dandridge?”
